Although there were many smiles among our soldiers, there were others too who looked shocked: pale, slumped and tearful.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYtgJcAMeHo
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'Except those guarding prisoners, fall in to your units!' My order brought their training back and even the most wretched looking stiffened and hurried to find a place in the ranks.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtAvepqcpjN
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'You fought well. Very well! And today will be the day I promised you. You will eat out on the story of the battle of Three Ways for the rest of your lives. But our work isn't yet done. Those of you on horseback…' I made my way to the light cavalry, half of whom were missing, chasing the retreating enemy, 'ride down the road, killing any enemy stragglers you find. Then, when our own soldiers return, scout beyond them until evening and report back here by dark… On you go!'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMxZBmJu4Rl
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As the riders rode off, I turned to our archers. 'Sergeants, have your squads take the abandoned bows and quivers of the enemy; gather any unbroken arrows you can.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLrUSM6U62
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'You heard the king!' shouted a sergeant, 'on me!'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQCHKODpfzX
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'Sergeant of the swordsmen,' this to the squad leader of our twelve heavy infantry, 'take the prisoners and find a way to lock them in the small tower. They can be given food and water but make sure none of them is armed.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWVyqINx5b
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'Yes sire!'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwgab52fGDa
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'You,' I pointed to the sergeant of a unit of twelve light infantry, 'are on the same task.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl4CgghibY7
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'And you,' looking at the sergeant of my other infantry squad, 'get a cart and fill it with the abandoned weapons and any armour that is still useful. Also, tell the ballista crew to report to me at the bridge.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ64tPB030nh
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There was a bustle of activity now and the eagerness with which the soldiers set about their tasks was heartening.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsEelWK9qV4
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'Sire?' It was the Cleric. 'May I heal you?'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLo6NHdlE19
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I checked my hit points, 33 from 40. 'No.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMonQARHZt7
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Coming down the hillside was a weak-looking Parrin, being helped by Carlena. I gestured towards them. 'Go heal the chancellor.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZL5MOK6X74
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By the time they reached me, the Scout was looking a lot more cheerful. 'Sire, permission to shake your hand.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ohbZW40Ep
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'Granted.' I smiled at our Parrin as he took my heavy right hand in both of his and pumped it up and down.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9XPaOAdhWa
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'That… that was magnificent. Your charge. I'll never forget it, ever. I don't have the words.' And indeed, I could see tears were welling up in the elderly man's dark eyes.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeY26wXAirx
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'Good man yourself, Chancellor, your backstab was an excellent initiative.' I gave him a slap with my free arm. 'The Shaman might not have been able to save the battle for them, but we were about to lose a lot of men. It was brave too, with the sabre-toothed tiger at his side.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6tIrzNeAW1
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I turned to Carlena. 'You too. To face the Shaman's spells and his pet without hesitation was impressive. I'm proud to be working with such courageous comrades.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0PE7Tvz3ho
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Carlena gave me the warmest smile I'd yet seen from her, a sincere one, from the heart. 'A rhino was a good choice for the potion.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡowNN9zAKDK
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'When you said to pick something the size of my body… well, it came to mind.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ahpuMQn8O
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'Well done sire.' She dropped her voice to a whisper. 'Thank you Sean de Courcy. You really are the warrior we need. King Carlos would have stayed in Carrick. Yet that was a battle we might easily have lost and with it, the realm.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz4bqDHFFDJ
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Our mutual fan club was broken up by the arrival of the ballista crew, who had come at the double, as if to make up for the fact they had missed out on the fighting. Their sergeant saluted.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLOgnNp9HRS
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'Hard luck, sergeant. You were to be the hero of the battle by the original plan.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ84BhnLLCET
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Checking first that I wasn't looking too serious, the powerful-looking young man allowed himself a reply. 'We're very disappointed sire; next time I hope you'll leave some for us.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2wIKLiSnSw
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'Good man. Well, I've a task that will make you popular with the rest of the army. Are you honest?'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF1t30qwrCL
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'As honest as a mirror sire.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVo1L8ArhDQ
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'That's what I hoped. I want you to search all the enemy bodies for coin. Then roll the corpses into the river along with any dead horses. We'll demoralise their army downstream as their dead comrades float past. Our own dead we'll bring home in carts for their families. When you've all the coin, report to me and I'll share it equally with every soldier here. Even you lot.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzaHPE0RMJ5
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'You heard the king!' The sergeant gave me a salute and the crew immediately set to their somewhat morbid task as though it was a pleasure. Which perhaps it was. Loot was loot after all. Which gave me a thought.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmTKcgLqZg7
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'Do you have a Detect Magic spell?' I asked Carlena, who nodded.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQb5yhLkl6x
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'Can you use it and see if there are any magic items on the dead, perhaps on the Shaman or their officers?'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA3vszZ8yOy
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'Oh, I should have thought of that.' Carlena hurried back up the hill.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG9QyTkFz72
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'Any orders for me sire?' asked Chancellor Parrin.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvYMnOqfE0B
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'Soon I'll want you to go scouting again, in case the rest of their army moves up towards us. I've a feeling that they won't. For now though, if you could find some decent wine and tolerable bread, I could really use it. Being a rhino for eight minutes is a hell of a calorie burn… I mean it gives you an appetite.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSOyOcLZr4g
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Slowly, I made my way back over the bridge and up to the gatehouse, bringing the Cleric with me. On my way, busy soldiers glanced at me in an entirely different way than they had before the battle. There was respect and admiration in their eyes. Affection too even. I was becoming the king they wanted. And whenever my gaze rested on soldiers performing their duties, they hurried that bit faster, as though wanting to demonstrate their backing for me. This was a complete contrast to the sullen looks and slow responses when I had first gone to the barracks in Carrick.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC0orXprL6k
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Of course, I'd been wanting to study the effects of the battle on my character sheet ever since the fighting had ended, but only now, after a deliberate pause to consider if I had overlooked any important orders, did I feel the time had come when I could open that menu.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCXhUYy1QKa
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Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡthrId7c3gr
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Fighter, Level 5 HP 40 AC 0456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnoVbqXoBtJ
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Str 7456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5BK3W7zChc
Dex 4456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpQDBvPrW5O
Con 8456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQeKmyChBej
Int 16456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqGIQS2kNUq
Wis 16456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0HpIcMzAv4
Cha 4456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc4f6HnX0Jh
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Top Skills456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV62CEI5nAW
Bash 25456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM91bnAN8K1
Impale 25456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiAAlKhLKKQ
Lunge 5456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3YBV0T6W9
Parry 5456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQnPx9o9lUQ
Wield Rapier 5456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfrWzq4Ifr
Wield Shortbow 3456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhGopA0jaIU
Block 1456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYNtR6g63US
Defensive Stance 1456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqUo4YiH6Ai
Deflect 1456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkHmDzPMQzJ
Dodge 1456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE5E3QF29QP
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You have 4 attribute points to assign.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24vvAECm7e
You have 15 skill points to assign.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qU6ez9fvr
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XP 2,860 (3,200)
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My attribute points I decided to save, again, tempting though it was tempting to put a point in Dexterity. Assuming I could train up the low stats, I'd want those points for later.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYifcnGOmwM
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There was also a new notification attached to my character sheet, which I opened.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvSkLnCkJs
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Congratulations Sean de Courcy on reaching Level 5 in Fighter. You have unlocked the following specialisations within the Fighter class. Please choose one:456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfXz2Lw5US4
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Berserker456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzt90YbZ5ro
Champion456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4u8fB0pMMM
Paladin456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡldopdiCSaV
Shadow Knight456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXpGp75zlWq
Warlord
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Each had a description, which corresponded to fighter sub-types I was familiar with from Storm Wars: the Berserker specialised in speed, high DPS and was a master of improvisation, downside, medium armour only; the Champion was a duellist, a weapons specialist perfect for one-on-one fights, downside, all the benefits were individual only; the Paladin had holy spells as well as combat skills, downside incompatible with evil troops and creatures; the Shadow Knight was the opposite to the Paladin, with unholy spells and an incompatibility with good; the Warlord was the opposite to the Champion, a tactical specialist, all the benefits were group ones.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa9cajumRsq
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Obviously, with Lord Arval being a Paladin, the Shadow Knight was out. And it wasn't smart to replicate his spells and skill bonuses when I could gain new ones for our realm. Even if I got this body into reasonable shape, I was never going to be a Berserker. So that left Champion and Warlord.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9OTskzH8T
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Rereading the description of both, the Champion appealed to my pride. Following that path would ultimately lead to a character who could defeat anyone else in the world in a face-to-face encounter. I could visualise myself using Lightning Draw to bring a sword into my hands faster than my opponent anticipated and cutting them down with Critical Strike before they'd even drawn breath.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO93BTAhov8
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It was clear though, that in this world of twenty-five kingdoms battling for mastery, the Warlord was going to be the right option. As a Warlord I'd get feats that could rally shaken troops, that could heighten the combat skills of those nearby and at high level could identify unfamiliar enemy troop types. I selected it and immediately got twenty or so new skill options and my first Warlord feat, Charge! All friendly units in the vicinity got a 20% increase to base movement and a temporary 5 hit point increase.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQrcf0HFDr
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As for the skills, since I knew I would learn fast from practice, I would simply put one point in each to unlock them. With 15 skill points to assign, I could get all but five. My exact choices, however, could wait.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbemv4nS4g4
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Closing my character sheet, I had a look at the state of Greyland's army on the military menu:456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡULZ5spSnyJ
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Military456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ55Y24mr1qP
Light infantry: 26*456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2OuRmJ3M6V
Heavy infantry: 11*456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRImD8j4dcz
Archers: 34*456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCOy5lYTB63
Light cavalry: 18*456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIjrYGUzc48
Heavy cavalry: 4*456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAAayI7Ab4M
Ballista: 1456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqfrbSaij6i
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(*veterans)456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtNRcHZKjWb
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Hospital: 18456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3TJylsmDWK
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Military upkeep cost: 43 gold, 6 silver456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXEEvr5mMy7
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Currently training:456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCRkaas7Ua
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Buildings: keep level 2; curtain walls level 1; towers level 1; town walls level 1456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxWAwY7eHSh
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Currently building: tower machicolations, 23 hours
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Not at all bad. In fact, considering my original plan, which would have been costly in terms of archers and probably infantry, it was a fantastic result. Greyland's army was small, but it was still intact, a viable force with which to face the other half of the army of our enemies, should they dare advance. If anything, we were actually stronger than when the day had begun, since a new veteran tag had appeared over most of the troops.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB30PyVLNei
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There were rooms in the larger tower and although I struggled to get up the wooden stairs, which creaked loudly beneath me, I found a bench on the first level that could accommodate my bulk. The Cleric stood uncertainly by the door.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgGioOFPqvi
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'Take a seat.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr9H7XZgWg6
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She obeyed me.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3uV0lbpRfl
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'What's your name?'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoaSZP5ElSH
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'Anthea Greyford, sire.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHiJmbTOJXI
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'Anthea, you know I have menus for the running of ths realm?'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTOUp1O3UVD
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'Yes sire.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy40N3d3jj8
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'Well, you aren't…' I struggled for the words that she might understand. 'You are listed under the church menu but you aren't a special person. You can't level up, or can you?'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJX00WKFlv
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'Apologies, sire. I don't really know. If you were to upgrade the church perhaps?'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBOTuCfdEDf
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'I was reading about the various levels of church earlier and while it's not a priority …' I held back from expressing my concern about the food supply, 'that upgrade will happen. But it wasn't clear if you would gain a level. I learned only that the town would gain a second Cleric and those attending the church would be able to obtain cures for moderate wounds and the delay of poisons and disease.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzCVrgTWem
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'I think it likely I would become second level sire, since those prayers are available to those who have reached it.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZtx8kbDnMf
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMMkSYBoxY
'Let's hope so. And let's hope you can join me progressing. Because we are going to need a strong healer, both to level me up as fast as possible and for future battles.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡypHoyC44jP
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It was hard to see her response: in her full chainmail armour the coif put most of her face in shade. Her mouth looked determined enough though and she gave a nod.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzQFwoxgQ3q
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Footsteps from below announced the arrival of the chancellor, bearing the very welcome load of two bottles of wine and four tin goblets. Behind him, a soldier had a basket with bread rolls and apples.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WmnTQK7Ef
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'Well done Chancellor.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJL0omcRTMH
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'Thank you sire.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8cabalFKjm
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One of the joys of a high Dexterity, it seemed, was the ability to draw a cork from a bottle with just a narrow blade from his Scout's tool kit and it was only a moment's work before the comforting gurgle of wine being poured was heard.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1q6JDN7HAj
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'To Greyland!' I offered the toast and my two companions responded.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4fbqtEu8Qm
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I asked Parrin about his sneak attack on the Shaman and was listening to his account – it reminded me that the Scout had an extremely important Ring of Silent Movement – when Carlena joined us, a look of quiet pleasure on her face that made me hopeful. That and the finely made rapier she carried.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFwX49dMKl
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'Four magic items sire.' She emptied a bag onto the bare wooden floor with a satisfying clatter from the three items that fell out. 'I've used the rest of my mana for the day casting Insight to discover their properties, but I thought you'd want to know.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUneAh6H3b2
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I nodded.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3sZkUkFh6r
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'Their Shaman had a scroll of Hold Animal and an amulet with the spell Hide from Animals stored in it; one of their officers had Bracers of Archery; and the other had this: a plus-two rapier.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0zCAGh9NW
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'Excellent, what do the bracers do?'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiqISoN2D7M
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'Give you five skill points in your wield skill for all bows; a slightly faster rate of fire; and fifty-percent increase in all ranges.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWzqrJaX1ny
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'Very nice. I'll keep them and the rapier. Can you use the scroll and the amulet?'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGicRW5QLxC
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrVTKG24gb2
'The pity is that I can't add them to my spell book, with their being Shaman spells not those of a sorceress, but as a once off, I can cast those spells.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡagVu3PxvHX
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtRXuTJWV5g
'Very good, they are yours. Sorry Chancellor, nothing for you it seems, though you deserved it.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ08ZazD0Gov
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqR7Rpuatuk
Parrin smiled and spread his hands. 'What's good for us all is good for me.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡODRKzVALVI
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We were well into the second bottle of wine and nothing but crumbs and apple cores remained in the basket when Lord Arval bounded up the stairs and into the room. A glance, then he stepped over to me, knelt and clasped my hands in his.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDBx5Lb1sgU
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'By Miya! What a day. What a day. When I rose this morning, I could not dare hope for such an outcome.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ35vDuIvm9Z
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlpcgpD7PTb
'Nor I Lord Arval, now take a seat and a drink.' I freed my hands from the warrior, picked up my goblet and passed it to him. 'I'm only sorry we ate all the bread.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT5kZ1507xw
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6wk4CaATjO
Our general was clearly exhausted, his face was wan and he sat with obvious relief. Yet his eyes were darting to check we all shared his happiness. And watching him, I had another thought. Perhaps the PCs had levelled too? I raised my arm. Carlena and Parrin were both still level 9. But Lord Arval had reached level 8.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6nAgmUdrqa
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJcQfARcio5
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Lord Arval: Paladin Level 8456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYCKplHFQo0
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HP 79456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2keREM6X7D
AC 18456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXSL52vfbrB
XP 30,124 (64,200)456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvVrFcsGsBe
Str 17 (18), Dex 12, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 9, Cha 9.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdNPmINEFCR
Shield of Defence +1, Trueblade +2, Ring of Strength +1, Potion of Healing.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡorUGZpqYR7
'Another toast!' I declared, though I no longer had a goblet and had to raise just my hand. 'To Lord Arval, our level eight Paladin!'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1XdpE5F6U
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'Congratulations!'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4vnpGbkcZd
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLJG96n7QZ
'To Lord Arval!'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLIf4pHdgLC
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Our general acknowledged the goodwill in the room with a cheerful wave. Then Carlena told him about the magic items we had gained and he told us about the rout of the enemy, whom he pursued for miles down the valley. After that we fell into a comfortable silence, the silence of those who had been through battle together and who were reflecting on the day's events.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTx0UzxtjXr
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTf1qgLVDar
At least, that's what I thought they were doing. Lord Arval, however, looked over at the cleric and spoke: 'Can you leave us some privacy, please.'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjtcY0X3LBZ
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUsSzrbeU1
'Of course,' she got up at once and descended the stairs.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGVXlAphKw
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGLmMaifMCK
I looked at Lord Arval and no doubt my expression was curious.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOgKJqQOlIa
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrgULL444aK
He smiled. 'It's nothing urgent. But I wanted to know: how did this day compare to the battles you experienced in your world? You must have had other victories like this?'456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsgdjgV0bqM
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI47BvV54wq
How, I wondered, should I reply to that question? I could hardly say that the only battles I had fought in had been games.
